Proud
by Jollymonkee5613
Summary: Hermione would always be proud to be compared to her favorite Professor and HoH. Takes place at the end of fifth year. Slightly AU. R & R. Mother/Daughter. HG/MM


Classes had ended for the term and, unlike any other year, Hermione Granger was quite glad indeed. Things had been hectic this past year what with not only her OWL's but Umbridge, the fight at the ministry, and the fact that her Transfiguration teacher nearly died. She bit her lip as she thought of all of the events of the school year and tried not to cry. Instead, she adjusted herself on the staircase in the Entrance Hall and attempted to continue reading her book.

It was well past midnight when Hermione found herself bathed in moonlight that was creeping in through the just opened doors. She didn't even register it, absorbed as she was in her book, or rather her thoughts.

"Miss Granger!" A sharp reprimand forced the bushy-haired teen to tear her eyes away from her book and gasp. There, in the doorway stood none other than Minerva McGonagall, Hermione's favorite teacher, the Transfiguration teacher previously mentioned who had indeed nearly left the Earth for good.

"Professor!" Hermione exclaimed though she did her best to keep her emotions from her voice. In all honesty, she actually was considering hugging the woman so like a second mother to her, fiercely, but decided against it.

"What on Earth is this-this—thing?" Minerva held out a piece of parchment that was a ghastly pink color with a wrinkled nose.

"I thinks that's a note from Umbridge..the kind Harry used to get." Suddenly Hermione wasn't too keen in looking the elder woman in the eyes. That piqued McGonagall's interest, so she opened the piece of parchment and read it, raising an eyebrow at her young charge.

"You—you were thrown out of class? What on Earth could _you_ have done, Miss Granger?"

"Hermione, please, Professor, it's just us." Hermione flushed, knowing she would have to recount the tale for the older woman. "She and I were bickering over Slinkhard again and she mentioned you, telling me that I was just like you, just as stubborn, and vile, and a couple other things." Hermione blushed, her ears even turning a brilliant shade of red.

"Oh. So you found it prudent to scream back at her? It says here that you…said some rather nasty things about her. Tell me, Miss Grang—Hermione, is it so awful to be compared to myself that you started a screaming match over it?" Minerva concealed her hurt behind her carefully crafted mask but it seemed Hermione knew the woman better than she'd thought because the fifth year stepped toward her Professor and shook her head gently.

"No, I'm proud to be compared to you. You're the greatest witch I've ever known and the best Professor I could have asked for.I actually retorted to that tactic with a thank you. She demanded to know why I thought that that was some form of a compliment and I told her that you were my favorite Professor and that you were a great role model, one who stood and fought for what she believes in and showed unwavering loyalty to her friends. She didn't like that and she said some really very vile things like you were…Dumbledore's…well, I'd rather not say. _That's _when the screaming match started." The young woman said softly, a pink blush spreading across her cheeks.

"No, I'm not. I'm an old spinster who simply couldn't bear children and became a teacher to fill the void instead, only to find that not even the children can stand her." McGonagall was not prepared for the next move Hermione made.

The fifth year embraced her teacher and kissed her cheek. "Honestly, I'm happy to be compared to my Mum. I'm so proud to be a little lion under the mother lioness's care. Didn't you get all the letters and cards we sent you, Professor? I was constantly bugging them to update me on your condition but no one ever seemed to be able to." After failing to have her Professor show any reaction at all to her actions, Hermione's face turn beet red and she moved to release her Head of house from the embrace but the woman suddenly wrapped her arms around her.

"Thank you, Hermione."

"It was never something that I needed a thank you for."

"Regardless, you will never understand how much those words mean to me."

_****Author's Note****_

_I know, I really should get back to my other stories but I've just moved STATES away from my hometown and everything and I just found this on my computer and…I just wanted to do a few one shots to jog the creative genius gone dormant._

_~C.E.S._


End file.
